Looking into the Eye
by TwinDrake
Summary: Apparently, the concept of reincarnation was true. Diana only hopes that she doesn't get directly involved in the tempest of events she knows as Bleach, but if she does, it sure as hell won't be boring.
1. Clouds Gather

Warning: This fic may contain manga spoilers, cannon-typical violence, and possible angst.

 **Disclaimer:** Not mine.

* * *

Looking into the Eye

 **Chapter 1: Clouds Gather**

Diana didn't expect to die. She didn't expect to be reincarnated either, because apparently that's real, and she definitely didn't expect to retain most of her memories, even if the emotions attached to them were gone.

Well, it stopped from being traumatized by her own death, at least.

At times, it felt as if her old self was another person and, at others, she felt as if she was the same. She didn't remember her old name, or the names anyone she knew personally. She only knew what she liked in her old life because of consistent reappearances. Dragons, video games, anime, math, a good memory for odd details. That last one drove people up a wall. In hindsight, that might be because she liked to use it for poking holes in people's arguments.

She still did.

It was odd how some old things coincided with…

"Diana, we're here." Her father said, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Ah, Dad, I don't think you mentioned where 'here' was." She replied slightly bored, this wasn't the first time they've had this conversation.

"Right, kept forgetting, the town's called Karakura." What?

"I thought the job you got was in Naruki." _Should avoid_ _that until 'til I have time to think about it._

"Yes, but it's a nice house and there's a clinic across the street as well. 'Don't know why it was so cheap." One thing she like about her dad was that he always tried to make sure she was safe while he… Wait, CLINIC!

She took a look around and, even though she still sucked at reading kanji, she read Kurosaki Clinic, right there, in plain daylight. She did as she thought she should do, feign ignorance.

"Maybe the neighbors are loud." Well, sort of.

"Hhm." He accepted that.

"I'll get my stuff ready for the night."

"Our stuff should be here by tomorrow."

"If we're lucky." He snorted. Ah, moving.

* * *

 **A/N**

I don't know what I want to do with her quite yet, but I'll figure it out. I'm one of those weird people don't find time-travel and multiple dimensions all that hard to think about, so expect crazy.

Anyway, meet the Kurosakis.


	2. Meet the Cast

If I had more room, I'd have more plushies. If I had friends, I'd give them odd nicknames. If I owned Bleach, well, it's probably best that I don't.

* * *

Looking into the Eye

 **Chapter 2: Meet the Cast**

As expected, the movers weren't there the next day. Diana just helped her dad go grocery shopping but otherwise played on her handheld until she went stir crazy in the mid-afternoon. High-school was supposed to start in a week, so her father left to set things up for her at Karakura High, go figure.

She had two options: wander around the neighborhood and try to get used to it because she had no sense of direction, or introduce herself to her neighbors. This should be fun.

She grabbed her phone just in case her father called and walked out the door, only to spot a certain orange-haired teenager heading home. Mind made up, she brought up as much friendliness as her personality allowed, and "Hello!"

He blinked as if broken out his thoughts, and looked at her confused, "Konnichiwa?"

 _Right Japanese, not talking to dad._ "Konnichiwa." She corrected herself and walk towards him. "I just arrived in the neighborhood yesterday and decided to introduce myself to my new neighbors. Diana Fle… er" _Damn naming conventions,_ "Fletcher Diana, by the way, nice to meet you."

"Kurosaki Ichigo. You're an American, aren't you?" He asked, scowling. She felt like someone was watching her.

"Yes, but I've been living in Japan for two years now." "ICHIGO!" Oh, boy.

Ichigo's dad flung open the door, ran straight for Ichigo and… got punched Diana as he ran past, head smashing into the wall. Ichigo looked torn being vaguely impressed and just exasperated. "Dad, do you have to do this in front of our neighbor?!"

Apparently so, because he pealed himself off the wall and started arguing with his son. What a nut. Watching it was kind of funny, but what could she say when she got completely ignored. She felt like someone was standing right behind her.

"Sorry about Goat-Face, he's just insane." Diana turned to find Karin standing in the doorway.

"Normally, this is when someone tells me not to punch people, or to 'act like a girl'."

"Not around here we won't. Punks like to pick on anyone that looks or acts different. It's good to know how to defend yourself." Karin shot an annoyed look over Diana's shoulder.

It seems the feeling she kept getting was just a spirit. Wonderful. Diana didn't want to be overly involved, so she tries to ignore it.

"Name's Karin, by the way." She says with a gesture to come in.

 **-2-**

Diana decided she liked Karin. By the time Ichigo and Isshin stopped fighting and made their way into the house, Yuzu had introduced herself, made everyone tea, and lightly scolded Karin and Diana when they said something particularly mean, which was often given the topic was the idiocy of boys.

Isshin finally got around to introducing himself when he noticed that she "wasn't Tatsuki". An easy mistake, given that Diana resembled the girl in body type, hair-style, and punching power. She could have passed as Tatsuki's sister if it weren't for her face.

"You look more Japanese than American." Isshin pointed out.

"Dad that's rude." Yuzu chastised her father.

"No, it's alright Yuzu, my mom was Japanese." Diana said easily.

"'Was'?" Ichigo's scowl deepened.

"Oh, my mom died not a year after I was born, so I don't remember her. I do have this necklace used to belong to my mother, so I have her close anyway." She played the pendant on a simple chain, it was just a small disc with fake gems placed in a crescent shape and an inscription that said 'Mirror the moon and glow'.

"How about your father, or siblings?" Isshin again.

"Dad will have to work a lot, but he takes care of me anyway he can. No I don't have any siblings, but back in America I had a friend and his brother that were like older brothers to me, Chip and Dale, I called them. They bickered like idiots, and I didn't understand half 'the things they said, but they taught me how to defend myself against threats, (although half the time I had to defend myself against them) and introduced me to judo." She smiled to herself reminiscing.

"Sounds like you miss them." Yuzu this time.

"Miss those idiots? I'm still trying to convince them that they don't have to call every week to check up on me. They won't let me miss them!" throwing her hands up in mock surrender, earning a chuckle from Karin. "Though they'll probably lay off, once I manage to actually make a friend." She added sadly.

"Don't worry, Ichigo will be your friend!" Isshin offered much to Ichigo's chagrin.

"I don't think that's how things work, but I would like someone to show me around town, since my sense of direction is god awful and the movers haven't shown up with our stuff yet."

"If they're not here tomorrow morning, I'll show you around and introduce you to Chad. If you ask, he'll help you move in." Ichigo offered.

"And if don't have anything to cook with yet, I'll cook something for you and your father."

"Thank you, I'll call Dad to see if he's okay with it."

 **-2-**

Ichigo wasn't entirely sure what to make of Diana. She looked like Tatsuki, but had nearly nothing in common, except a small interest in martial arts. Sure, she was nice enough and she got along with his sisters, but as soon as her father came in she faded into the background. She was polite and responded when talked to, but seemed lose enthusiasm fast, like she was used to being overlooked by people, or maybe she counted on it.

One thing was for certain; she wasn't as social as she tried to make herself out to be at first.

"You mentioned Judo, do you have any other hobbies?" Karin asked Diana.

"Well, back in America, I lived a rural area, so Dad and I would drive out to shoot cans. I had a pretty good aim. 'Can't do that anymore though." She looked homesick.

Yuzu tried to keep the conversation going when Diana didn't seem to have more to say and both Ichigo and Karin were distracted by the ghost woman that was floating around behind her trying to get everyone's attention.

She put her hand Diana shoulder and startled her.

"Something wrong Diana? You look like you saw a ghost." Her father asked. Ichigo tried to keep his face neutral.

"Pff." She look amused. "If I saw one, I'd only get scared if it looked like some monster out an anime."

Ichigo wondered if she could really see the girl, but dismissed the thought when the ghost started to wave her hands in front of her. Maybe she was more like Yuzu who could sense them but not see them. At least the spirits could follow someone around who wasn't in his family.

 **-2-**

The movers still weren't around the next morning so as promised Ichigo showed her around town, met Sado Yasutora, aka 'Chad', and he agreed to help. Diana must have referred to Chad as "Sado-kun" a grand total of twice before the giant became "pipsqueak".

They were all wandering around the shopping district, until Diana spotted a black cat plushy in a window. Adorable.

"You two want something?" A faintly amused Ichigo asked her and Chad, who started to inspect the other plushies in the shop.

"I want the cat for my stuffed animal collection." Diana spoke with no hesitation and started into the shop. Chad followed. Ichigo just shook his head.

Chad found a pink 'devil bunny' as Diana called it, and Ichigo looked slightly put off by being in the shop. So when they left, that had to change.

"Now I have Sombra, the hacker cat, and she is mine." Diana cried out, lifting up the cat plushy and stealing a glance at Ichigo and Chad. Chad simply looked slightly taken aback, and Ichigo looked at her like she was an alien. Success. "What, can't take my brand of weird?" She asked with false sweetness. That shook them out of it.

"Not many people are so open with their quirks." Chad went straight to the point.

"Well, all people are odd, and not everyone accepts that. If someone doesn't accept the way I do things, then I'd rather know that upfront, then have them walk away when I had thought they were my friends." That was what happened whenever she tried to make friends after she moved to Japan after all, and she had a distinct feeling it had happened in her old life as well. "There is no point in pretending to be someone I'm not. Enough with the sob story. It is what it is, and I found a couple of odd-balls that seem to be able to tolerate me." She finished with a smirk.

"Yeah." They understood well enough.

Diana's phone rung with the sound of Final Fantasy's victory jingle. It was her dad.

"Sup."

"Hey, Diana. I thought you'd want to have a say in what your room looked like."

"The movers are finally there?"

"Yes, and your cousin, Tatsuki, is here as well." Arisawa Tatsuki, it was hilarious how she wasn't brought up before given she's Ichigo's childhood friend, but Diana shouldn't have known that, Ichigo has more tact than his father, and Chad's not the type to bring it up if it wasn't important.

"I'll be back ASAP."

"Movers there?" Ichigo guessed.

"Yep, and so is my cousin, Tatsuki. I never met her before, actually." If she had, she'd have realized she was in Bleach-verse sooner.

"Arisawa?"

"That's right. How'd you know?" she asked like she didn't already know.

"She's an old friend of mine, and the family resemblance is obvious." So, was Ichigo's to Kaien, not that she could tell him that.

"Well then, shall we be off?"

 **-2-**

Whatever Tatsuki was expecting of her cousin, it wasn't what she saw. Apparently, Diana was a bit of a Judo buff, but with a plush cat balanced on head and a big goofy grin on her face, she was reminded of Orihime. She just let out a laugh.

"Finally! Someone laughs!" Diana cried out. "Pipsqueak's too quiet," Pipsqueak? "And Kurosaki-kun is being too gruff."

Tatsuki cringed at the way she said 'Kurosaki-kun', it was like she the person in question was the cutest thing in existence. She hoped Ichigo didn't pick up on it.

"Did you have say it like that!?" He did.

"Would you rather I call you Ichigo instead?" She teased.

"Yes! Just don't say it like _that_!" He ground out.

"Jeez, Ichigo, can't take a little teasing?" Tatsuki taunted, unable to resist the opportunity.

"Yes, Ichigo, you could loosen up a little. You get worked up too easily."

Ichigo bristled, but deflated when Chad put hand on shoulder in silent support.

"Better." She turned to Tatsuki, "By the way, my name's Diana. Nice to meet you."

"Tatsuki, same to you, and I promise Ichigo isn't as big an ass as he looks."

"I noticed, if he was he probably would have brushed me off. Anyway, let's help with the move in, I want to show pipsqueak my stuffed animal collection." Diana punched the air.

Tatsuki was just certain that when Diana met Orihime, all hell would break loose.

* * *

That way I act changes with my mood. When I'm nervous or feel overcrowded I try my best to disappear. When I'm happy I can be outright ditzy. When I really focus on something the world around disappears and I try to analyze every single scrape of information.


	3. School Starts in Spring

I got my first follow! It inspired me to finish this chapter quicker, so thank you.

Just to warn you all, these chapters will be inconsistent in updates and length.

 **Disclaimer:** Last time I checked, I don't own Bleach.

* * *

Looking into the Eye

 **Chapter 3: School Starts in Spring**

Diana woke up early on the first day of high school. Her father was up early as well, preparing for work, so she ate breakfast with him and made small talk.

"You should walk to your new school with your cousin." It was an order. He still hadn't forgotten the time she got lost back in her hometown, the vary incident that she met Chip and Dale.

"Yeah, I know. I'll probably walk with someone until I know the town better." She said with a dismissive tone.

He gave her a considering look, but it was just for show; he knew that she could handle herself beyond her tendency to get lost. "Got your phone on you?"

"Yup."

"You know where the Arisawa's house is?" Of course.

"Tatsuki brought me over yesterday, I remember where it is." She took a look at the clock. "Anyway, I need to get going if a want to meet up with her before she leaves. The Karakura High is on the other side of town after all."

He sighed. "Just be careful, okay?"

"I will."

 **-3-**

Diana found Tatsuki fifteen minutes before she left the house. She watch her finish getting ready, and began to walk and talk.

"We really don't need to leave this early, but I want walk with Orihime to school. Don't get me wrong she's a sweet girl, but I swear she's an accident waiting to happen." Wonder if she met Ichigo yet.

"Is she clumsy or is she type lost in her head and doesn't always pay attention to her surrounding?"

"A little of both, but more of the second."

Diana chuckled. "Anything else I should know?"

"Well, she does have an odd taste in food."

"Jelly on steak odd or butter on sweet potatoes odd?"

Tatsuki made disgusted face and a sound that matched. "More of the second, but I wouldn't be surprised if she's tried that first one before, except with red bean paste."

"Not much of a difference, really. I'll try anything once."

"I think you'll get along fine. We're here anyway." They had walked up to a small apartment building without Diana noticing. Damn it.

"You go up and warn her that you have an American doppelganger that likes to carry a demon rabbit plushy named Max in her bag."

"Do you have to be so weird?" Tatsuki tried not to laugh.

"It's better to rip the Band-Aid off now. Normal is overrated."

This time did laugh as she left to fetch Orihime, and in the minutes before she returned Diana felt like someone was watching her. Most likely, it was Inoue Sora's ghost.

"Wow, she looks like she's your clone, only she's has an American face." Orihime said bubbly as she walked up.

"But if I _were_ a clone, we'd have to look exactly alike, otherwise it wouldn't count." Diana laughed. "I'm Fletcher Diana by the way."

"I'm Inoue Orihime, it's nice to meet you, Fletcher-chan."

"Please call me Diana, and I'll call you Orihime I'd rather not be so formal."

"Oh yes, that fine, Diana-chan." Diana laughed.

"Now that we've introduced ourselves, let's get a move on. We don't want to be late on the first day." Tatsuki declared.

"Right." They replied at the same time.

They left for school with Orihime and Diana talked about themselves then traversed into a story about giant mecha-dragons and Tatsuki listened with amusement, as they went.

When they got to school, they checked the class listings. Diana was slightly amused to see that she was in 1-3 like the rest of the Karakura gang. Orihime was just delighted to be in the same class as Tatsuki and her new friend.

"We still have plenty of time before we have to find our class, so why don't we find a good spot to relax until then. I want to people watch." Diana declared easily.

"I don't get why that would be entertaining." Tatsuki stated bored.

"While most people can be pretty dull on the surface, they're just trying to fit in to seemingly boring world. Look past the surface and you'll realize just how ridiculous those masks are." Diana intoned sadly.

"That so…"

"Also people do stupid crap."

"Way to ruin the moment."

"It's what I do."

Orihime laughed. "Let go find the spot."

They found a spot where they could watch the student looking for their class easily. Orihime and Tatsuki began to talk, and Diana watched the students. Diana saw a girl trip on her own two feet, a thug making an ass out himself, and Ishida Uryu walking by reading a book, and she barely felt what must have been reiastu coming from him. _I shouldn't be able to feel that. At least not yet, Ichigo hasn't gotten his Shinigami powers yet. It is one thing to vaguely detect spirits, but it's another sense reiastu._ She was so distracted by that thought that she didn't hear Asano Keigo making a fuss over Ichigo and Chad being in his and Kojima Mizuiro's class.

She did however hear Ichigo and Chad break though the class listings board.

"Nice entrance." Diana quipped as she watched the scene from Bleach unfold.

Ichigo and Chad were surrounded by thugs with a bone to pick. Keigo freaked out. Mizuiro greeted Ichigo. Keigo got captured. Ichigo saved Keigo.

"That was so cool! Scowl-san saved him!" Orihime beamed. A teacher had come over and Mizuiro was giving an excuse that would keep them from getting suspended, and everyone not involved had to make their way to class.

"Scowl-san?" Diana laughed.

"You mean Ichigo." Tatsuki barked a laugh as well.

"You know him?"

"He's an old friend." Tatsuki stated.

"And my neighbor. You'll meet him later, I think I saw his name in our class." Diana pointed out.

"Really! But… I… Um…" Orihime blushed.

"Looks like Orihime-chan has a crush on Ichigo-kun." Diana chimed, amused.

Orihime blushed harder. Tatsuki just laughed.


	4. Ink No Longer

**Disclaimer:** I do not Bleach, no matter how much I beg.

* * *

 **Looking into the Eye**

 **Chapter 4: Ink No Longer**

School itself was boring, as most of what was taught she already knew from her past life. Japanese and Japanese history were the only things that didn't fall under that category, given that Japan's history is given a vague overview in the US and she never learned the Japanese language until two years prior. She spent her lunchtime with Orihime and Tatsuki and tried to organize a few meetings between Orihime and Ichigo. The girl's flustered shyness was amusing.

She spent the time that she wasn't learning anything new doodling Bleach themed drawings (it's for art), writing Bleach themed poetry in Japanese and English (I've got to practice if I want to get better), and pondering the fact that she is in the Bleach-verse. Delayed reaction she knows.

It was easier to ignore when she could distract herself.

She supposed she could try to avoid getting involved in the entire thing by either trying to pretend she doesn't know what's going on, but the prospect of meet the nut Urahara Kisuke and other quirky characters was to tempting to pass up. Maybe if she found Urahara she could persuade him to make her a weapon to defend herself against Hollows, but that was dependant on whether or not she had enough spirit energy to use it. He'll probably help if she developed spiritual powers on her own just so she won't attract unwanted attention, but she wasn't about to go ask him to help her become hollow bait. She doesn't remember where in Karakura his shop was supposed to be anyway.

"Hey, Diana. You might have to walk home by yourself today." Tatsuki said, walking up to her. She hadn't realized that class had been let out.

"Why's that?" They had been in school for a week now, and they walk to and from school together everyday.

"I've signed up for Karate, and Orihime signed for the Handicrafts club, and I you have no intention of signing up for anything, so, unless you want stick around after school with nothing to do…" She left the rest speak for itself.

"Alright, I think I know the way well enough that I won't get lost."

-4-

Diana was wrong. She was lost very very lost. She did think she was still in Karakura, thank goodness, but she couldn't tell which district she was in. She felt something that tickled her nose, it kind of felt like what happened with Ishida. She hadn't noticed it before, but it was something to hold on to and she followed it. She was silently hoping it wasn't a hollow.

Her prayers were apparently heard, cause she found the source, a old styled building with a sign that said 'Urahara Shoten' above the entrance. Ururu and Jinta weren't outside though, they must do the sweeping in the morning. Regardless, she made her way inside. Tsukabishi Tessai was manning the register.

"Hey, I got lost. Which district is this?" She said she browsed the candies, it good to know the candy shop front wasn't just a front. She loved candy.

"This is the Mitsumiya district." That was way off course, but at least she knew where the shop was. Diana cringed.

"So I went in the wrong direction. Say, do have any konpeito?"

"It's over there." He pointed and she followed, "May I ask where it is you were going?"

"Minamikawase, near the Kurosaki clinic."

"Would you like an escort?" It wasn't Tessai that said that. It was Urahara, wearing his signature geta and striped hat, within arms reach of Diana. When did he get there? She caught Tessai giving Urahara a questioning look.

Ridding herself of the surprise of having someone suddenly so close, she replied, "Depends on whether or not you're going to tell me your name, and are willing to wait for me to get my candy." She winced, for a second it felt as if something were squeezing her head. Actually, if the feeling wasn't so sudden, she would have just thought it was a change in air pressure. It gave her a headache.

"Of course I'll wait for the pretty lady.~" he flirted lightly. She knew this guy was a bit of pervert, but somehow she wondered if he another reason for offering. She probably won't figure it out until everything is said and done.

Tessai rang up her purchase, she turned around, gave Urahara the flattest look she could muster and asked, "Now, who are you?"

"I am Urahara Kisuke, the honest, handsome, perverted owner of this shop." he said watching her under the shadow of his hat.

"You can show me the way there, but if you perv on me, you will bleed."

"Duly noted." Diana looked at Urahara who had his fan out hiding his face.

'Shady bastard.' She muttered under her breath as opened her bag of konpeito.

They left the shop with Urahara leading the way. Diana knew Urahara always meant well, but at this point in time he wouldn't stick his nose in things if those things were to going draw attention from the Soul Society.

"Have you seen or felt anything strange lately?" He asked. What was he playing at? Did this have anything to do with her slowly growing, but unexplained spiritual awareness.

"Like you?" She snarked, un willing to give anything away yet.

"My, my, you're being rather suspicious.~" He said cheerily.

"I'd prefer cautious." She paused. Might as well play the game. "I don't like unknown people leading me into games I don't know how to play." If she gets involved, it will be on her terms.

"And if you get dragged into the game anyway?" He questioned cautiously.

"Then let's have this conversation then." He tipped his hat in acquiescence. "We might just see each other again soon; your konpeito is really good."

They walked the rest of the way in silence. It gave Diana time to think about why Urahara approached in the first place. She had a growing spiritual pressure, but if he approached everyone that did, Tatsuki and Ichigo's other friends who got spiritual pressure would have know been told what was going on in the first arc. If Urahara thought she was a spy of some sort, he probably would have dodged her completely. The only reason she could think of was he wanted to prevent her from drawing to much attention to the Kurosakis by investigating the spiritual world she was becoming aware of. It was never explicitly said, but heavily implied that Urahara may have promised Isshin to keep the Kurosaki kids (mostly Ichigo) away from the spiritual world.

"If you do see anything, don't tell anyone that shouldn't already know." He said.

"I understand."

It was later that night, that she realized that when Ichigo got involved in the Shinigami business, (because it's a miracle that Urahara was able to it hidden from Ichigo for this long) he SHOULD know anything that crazy shopkeeper told her about the spiritual world. He was going to use her as a loophole. That sneaky bastard.

-4-

The next day she more or less demanded Ichigo walk her home, citing getting lost as the reason. He protested. Keigo asked to walk her home instead. Diana threw Keigo down the hall. Ichigo left. Diana followed anyway.

"Why are you pretending to be cold, Ichigo?"

"I'm not pretending." He replied.

"If you were really that cold, you wouldn't have saved Asano-san on the first day of school. So why the tough-guy act? You don't seem like the type of person that cares about their image."

"I don't care about how others see me. If I did, I would have dyed my hair black a long time ago. Besides, you change your hair because you don't want to be mistaken for Tatsuki." He observed. Her hair has been up in two very spiky pigtails since she blew up at a couple of idiots challenging her to a karate match. Ichigo had been one of the spectators.

A little perturbed that Ichigo was denying the facade, she replied, "Yes, but I changed the way I look so I wasn't mistaken as someone I'm not. You didn't put these guards up when I first met you. Are you trying to play cool for a girl?~"

She got a somewhat flustered response. She laughed. The next day was much the same.

"I spotted you spying on the girls from the roof. See something you like?~"

"I wasn't spying. Even if I was, you were spying on us as well."

"That's because I like watching cute boys.~ You boys spy on cute girls, too.~"

"I was not spying on Inoue."

"I didn't say anything about Orihime-chan."

It caught her off guard, she just meant to tease him, not make him accidentally admit to thinking Orihime was cute. She whether or not Ichigo had any feelings for Orihime until much later. Actually, he didn't show any romantic inclinations much at all. Yoruichi proved he was straight, but a prude, which is why Diana is teasing him. She later began to coach him how to act like a gentleman (Do you really think you ask your dad how to treat a lady? I've met your dad. I am not your worst option.)

In the following weeks, she realized Ichigo and even Chad as he walked with them most of the time (She kept herself from teasing Ichigo about Orihime around other people. He appreciates it.) had become her friends as much Tatsuki and Orihime had. For Chad, it might have been when Ichigo and the giant got into a fight with thugs and she threw a guy trying to knife him in the back. (Ichigo got himself the nickname 'beast' in that fight. He hated it.) For Ichigo, it might been when she found him talking to a spirit, which she could now see as a blur, after a candy run to Urahara's.

"Do you always make time to speak to blurry figures?" Ichigo looked up, as he kneeling down like he was talking to a little kid, which, in all likelihood, he was.

"Do you see him?" He asked.

"Like I said, all I see is a small, blurry figure."

"I am not small!" Came the voice only half-heard, but still understood voice. She barked a laugh.

"How 'bout 'growing'?" That earned a huff. Touche.

Ichigo gave short bout of soft laughter, then turned to Diana and asked again, "You can talk to spirits?"

"Honestly, this is the first time I've actually heard one, but don't think it's anything special. I can talk to those who haven't moved on yet. It isn't like I can do anything about it." And no more was said about it. Not when they walked home or when Ichigo other spirits of dead children.

It was nearing mid-May when Diana when she realized it, but, to her, these people were no longer characters in some anime. They were her friends and she would do all she could to ease the pain of what was to come. She begun to plan.

* * *

The next chapter will probably contain a rant. I will likely rant at a lot of character, but the first one will be Rukia. Here's a preview. I'm channeling Kukaku.

"YOU FRICKIN' MORON! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH OR ARE YOU FRICKIN' STUPID!"


	5. It Has Begun

**Disclaimer:** I don't why anyone would think I owned Bleach.

* * *

 **Chapter 5: It Has Begun**

" _If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle._ " -Sun Tsu

Diana made another candy trip to Urahara's but stayed for a little while to annoy the occupants with songs from Halestorm. Oddly enough, Urahara sang along. By the time she got home, it was late, so she sequestered herself in her room. She was in the middle of playing a puzzle game on her handheld when she heard the Hollow.

She quickly realized that this was the event where Rukia gave Ichigo her spiritual powers. It wasn't like she could do anything about, so she watched from her window, the Hollow ignoring her. She watched as the Hollow steadily became more solid to her. She watched as Ichigo ran out to save his sister like the reckless idiot he is. She watched as a blurry Rukia got blindsided by the Hollow she probably should have been focused on. She watched as Ichigo tried to sacrifice himself to save his family, the reckless crazy idiot. She watched as Rukia took the hit for him instead attacking the Hollow from behind to either finish the monster or get its attention away from Ichigo when she _really_ doesn't have the build to be able to take a hit.

Why is it people seem to think the only way to stop an attack is to block it anyway? Either end the beast before it can follow through or deflect it in some way. For someone of Rukia's body type, taking a blow is pretty much a sure fire way to disable herself.

Conclusion, Ichigo is a reckless moron (what else is new) and Rukia lacks battle sense. _Frickin' brilliant._ She'll whack them next time she sees them. (Even if Ichigo's a lost cause.)

It occurs to her that she got sidetracked and the fight is now over, if you can call Ichigo slicing up a Hollow with little to no resistance and amateur skills a fight. She can now clearly see Ichigo and Rukia in their soul forms, and Urahara is walking up to Rukia and an unconscious Ichigo.

Diana wondered if she and Urahara should still have that talk. Maybe in the morning; she can afford to miss a few hours of school.

 **-5-**

The next morning she left early with a wave to her dad and arrived at Urahara's shop to greet an impatient Rukia. Apparently, Urahara had to put the finishing touches on 'something' before he could greet her.

That was fine, it gave her time to drill some sense into Rukia's tiny skull before she could repeat the same mistakes and wind up impaled by Grimmjow's _hand._

"So who's the snowflake?" She asks Jinta, who she met on one of her candy runs.

"Just some idiot soul reaper who got injured on a low-level hollow." He said dismissively.

"Is that what that monster was?" She intoned. Rukia twitched.

"Is it alright to tell a human about this?" Rukia muttered. Hypocrite.

"Well, I can tell that you're a spirit, Snowflake, and Urahara-san promised to tell me if I became interested or got forced to become involved with what's going on. No harm, no foul, Snowflake."

"Fine, but my name Kuchiki Rukia, not Snowflake." The Snowflake drawled, clearly annoyed.

"No, you're delicate, small, pretty and feel cold. You are a snowflake."

"Enough with the Snowflake!" Diana just laughed and looked for something relatively harmless.

She spotted a paper fan on the tea table Snowflake was sitting at. It must belong to Urahara. She down with it in reach.

"I'm not reckless enough to charge into a fight I'm fairly certain I won't win, unlike my stubbornly reckless and brutal friend. I assume you were trained to fight those things." Snowflake nods tensely, like she's waiting for a bomb to off. "Do you know what went wrong?" Diana secretly hopes that she does and is trying to learn from past mistakes.

"I gave my powers to a human." Diana sighs. A vein pops on her forehead.

"YOU FRICKIN' IDIOT! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH OR ARE YOU FRICKIN' STUPID?!" She whacked Snowflake over the the with the fan.

"That is the result, not a mistake!" She paused, "Since you are incapable of recognizing mistakes, I am going to burn them into your little skull until you learn from them."

"What would a child know about fighting Hollows!" Snowflake yells.

"More than you apparently!" Diana hit Snowflake with the fan again. "I may not know about Hollows, but I do know how to fight and strategize to a reasonable extent. _You_ broke one _very_ basic rule, and made actions that exposed your weaknesses and, if I'm right, ignored your strengths."

Snowflake just scowled at her, it seemed the fan hurt enough to keep her quiet. Diana went on, "A rule of fighting any opponent: don't take your eyes off the enemy. I don't care if a reckless crazy dumbass is doing something insane save whatever you were going to do to the dumbass until after your enemy is no longer a threat. Always assume your enemy won't wait for reckless idiots to quit being reckless idiots. Some people are just too dumb to live."

"So, are you telling me to pay attention to the enemy or calling Ichigo reckless idiot." Snowflake's expression was now a deadpan.

"Both." She replied with as much exasperation she could muster. Ichigo was just incurably reckless.

"Fighting styles play off of personal strengths and weakness. What works for your mentor, might not work for you, so if you are trying to copy the fighting style who's strengths and weaknesses are far different from your own, then forget it. Use the skills you have in a way that _works_. I'll even help you start." Snowflake looked dubious. "What? The person who taught me strategy gave me a similar speech, and it helped me turn my traditional Judo into something to be feared. Although I can't enter any Judo tournaments because it really isn't Judo anymore."

"So you created your own style of fighting style." Snowflake said, now interested.

"Yes, and I have very little tolerance for pain, so I like to deflect or abuse my opponent's power instead of taking a hit. You yourself seem like a glass cannon: someone who can do a lot of damage, but can't take a hit." Diana gave Snowflake a stern look. She looked ready to argue, but thought about it. She understood this time.

"Maybe…"

"Sneak attacks and speed are your best friends; it helps that you're so small. Attack as you think best. Think about it when you get your strength back."

Rukia looked downcast.

"What with that face? Is it because you lost a fight?"

"No, I'm just worried I sentenced your friend to an ill fate."

"Is that what you're worried about? What's done is done. We cannot change the past, we can only learn from it, and all that yap. Besides, knowing him, he's more likely to thank you for giving him the power to save his family, no matter the consequences."

"He'll have to do my job as a Shinigami."

"Does that involve protecting people?" Because it's Ichigo.

"A Shinigami protects all souls, by sending lingering souls to the Soul Society and destroying Hollows."

"Then he'll love his new job. If he resists, it's because he's being a stubborn idiot, unwilling to leave his comfort zone." She paused. "That or he's pretending to be a hardass again."

 **-5-**

Urahara was being annoying and promised to tell Diana everything after school, telling her to escort 'Kuchiki-san' to school. The day went much the same as it did in anime and manga, except Ichigo and Rukia came back to Diana who had moved Ichigo's soulless body to someplace more secure. She scolded the both of them for leaving it out in the open.

When she went to Urahara's after school, he, of course, gave her the promised information. (Even if she already knew)

"You don't seem surprised by all this." He noted after the basics.

"Not really. Call me crazy, but I always figured that there was something going on that normal people weren't aware of - actually, why is it I got out of being relatively normal?" That was still bothering her.

"I would assume that you are a particularly spiritually sensitive soul. Combine that with moving to a spiritually charged area from an area deficient in reishi, and your soul began to create its own reiatsu to balance itself out."

"And it helps that my neighbor happens to be a reiatsu power house."

He nods.

"Is it possible for you to get me gun that works on Hollows? I don't want to get cornered with no way to fight back."

"Sure.~ But it will cost you."

"I'll work at the shop after school."

"Mind keeping an eye on Ichigo, and his friends, if they start becoming spiritually aware as well."

"I'd do that anyway."

* * *

Diana keeps the fan, by the way.

Next time: Diana gets powers; side effect: crazy.


	6. Mirror the Moon

I'm not trying to pick on Rukia, I swear. I'm not really sure what set me off.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach I only own Diana.

* * *

Looking into the Eye

 **Chapter 6: Mirror the Moon**

"In order to use the weapon you asked for, you have to learn to control your reiatsu." Urahara watched Diana stare at him as he watched behind his fan. She had come in the day after their conversation, manned the register for a few hours, then got dragged into a backroom and given a orb similar Kukaku's cannonball core.

"And I'm supposed to use this," she gestured to the milky white orb in her hands, "to help me do that."

Kisuke nodded. "If you can control what color the orb turns, and can keep it black for over a minute, I'll give you you're weapon."

"You're going to leave me to my own devices until I figure it out on my own or beg you for help, aren't you?" It was rhetorical.

"Many people learn better by figuring things out on their own, rather than having someone tell them how to do it. If one method doesn't work, there are always others."

"So, letting me make mistakes and learning from said mistakes is a good way to learn. Now that I think about it, the only way not to learn from your mistakes, is refusing to face them." She paused. "I have few ideas as to what to try before asking for help."

She closed her eyes and tried a few visualization methods, such as the black dot method that Ganju showed Ichigo, and imagining her reiatsu like fire coming from within her and moving into the orb. She couldn't stop her reiatsu from moving, but she could control how much comes out and where it went. Once she had a hold on it, she opened her eyes.

The orb was a pale green. She made the flames bigger and it turned blue. A little more and it turned a darker purple. Now if she could turn it black…

Suddenly the orb was snatched from her. Diana looked at Urahara who now had the orb as she realized she was sweaty and _really_ tired. She didn't think it would be this exhausting. Now she knew why Orihime and Chad passed out after they first used their powers.

"I think that's enough. You have good control over your reiatsu, but you don't have much of it. Training with reiatsu exhausting methods, will help it grow." He said, in a way that told her she had a long way to go. It was like stamina training.

 _Definitely safer than knocking me out of my body and making me fight the little devil girl_ , she thought. "This is probably going to take a while." A thought came to her. "May I keep that?"

"Now why would you want a spirit core?" He asked as if he already knew.

"I want to see what Ichigo can do with it."

"You are an honest girl."

"I can feel the idiot from here and even I can tell he has no control. It's like having a flashlight shined in your face. It's annoying."

He snorted. "You know, I'm taking this out of your paycheck."

"But of course." She then had an idea that could prevent some trouble later. "Say, what other kind of stuff do you sell to the Shinigami?"

Urahara smirked.

 **-6-**

The next day after school Urahara told her she had the day off, so she followed Ichigo's reiatsu to the park where Rukia was making Ichigo play baseball with a pitching machine containing balls filled with pepper.

"So, what's the point of this?" Diana drawled while walking up to Rukia who was reading a manga.

"We are practicing." She replied without looking up.

"Practicing what? How do deal with exploding projectiles?" Diana said as she watched as Ichigo hit another pepper ball.

"He's supposed to tell the hands from the heads and hit only the heads." Diana picked up a couple of balls: the heads and hands looked almost the same.

"Why don't you try? He doesn't seem to get it." He was hitting all of them regardless. Actually, he have a perfect score if this was a batting cage.

"I don't need the training."

"Now it just sounds like the _trained_ Shinigami _can't_ do it." Diana taunted while turning off the machine.

"WHAT!?" Rukia finally looked up from her manga.

"You heard me. Oh, and if you can do it, I'll give you a stuffed bunny." She looked tempted.

"I'll do it, but I'll do it for the bunny." Rukia said as she stomped off to Ichigo.

"Eyes on the prize, eh." After a little arguing, Ichigo came back and stood next to Diana.

"Did you start this without really knowing what she wanted you do?" She turned to machine back on as Rukia got ready.

"She just gave the bat and told me to stand over there and hit the heads." Never wonder he didn't understand.

"So, do you do everything people ask without knowing _why_ , or do you just enjoy embarrassing yourself?" Diana asked as Rukia hit a pepper ball. Looks like she's keeping her bunny plushy.

Ichigo just glared at her, and she gave him an unrepentant smile. Rukia came back dejectedly when the machine ran out of balls.

"Congratulations, you hit every single ball. You don't get the bunny, but I saved your page." Diana handed Rukia her manga. "Next time I ask you play game that can't be won, I'll play for keeps. Try using your head next time."

"Hi, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime called from right behind Ichigo, scaring the crap out of him and surprising everyone else.

"Inoue! Wh-what are you doing here!?" Ichigo asked still flustered from the scare. Diana muffled her laughter, trying to keep herself from getting Orihime's attention.

("You look ridiculous." Rukia informed her quietly, likely in revenge for picking on her.)

"Hee hee! I'm shopping for diner." Orihime said cheerily, "I bought leeks, butter, bananas, and red bean paste!" Diana would try it just to see what whatever concoction she made out of those would taste like. "What are you doing, Kurosaki-kun?"

"I'm... uh… um…" He didn't seem to know what to say.

Luckily, he didn't have to, "Kuchiki-san!? Diana-chan!?" Orihime noticed them.

"Hi, Mecha-Hime!" Diana greeted cheerily, the girl brought out her good mood. Orihime giggled in reply. Meanwhile, Ichigo reminded Rukia who Orihime was.

"Well hello, Inoue-san. How do you do, my dear?" Rukia greeted with a curtsy. Diana didn't know whether to be put off by or be amuse at her act.

"Huh… Oh, I'm fine, thank you." Orihime replied with a curtsy of her own. She's always accommodating.

"Your arm…" Ichigo noticed the bandages on Orihime's arm. "What happened? You fall again?"

"Huh… Oh this. No! I was run over." Orihime said like it was no big deal. Diana sighed.

"RUN OVER!? BY A CAR?!" Ichigo was aghast.

"I went out to get a drink last night and… BAM! I've been getting run over a lot lately. Hee hee."

"No hee hee!" Ichigo was still upset. "That's serious! Aren't you upset!?"

"But they didn't hit me on purpose…"

Diana sighed again. "Maybe not, but you still could stand to be more careful."

"Does Inoue get hurt often?" Rukia asked.

"Almost every day!" Ichigo and Diana said in unison.

"I daydream." Orihime laughed.

"Don't be so casual about it!" Ichigo refused to calm down.

"That bruise on your leg? May I take a look?" Rukia bent down to look at it when she agreed and Diana decided to have a look too. The wound felt odd. It was as if worry, jealousy, and loneliness waifed of it in a rank scent. Diana didn't know what to think, reiatsu didn't feel like they had emotions tied to it before. She'd have to talk to Urahara about it.

Rukia gave the bruise a dark look and Orihime caught it. "Rukia? Why are you looking like that?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing. It just looks so painful…" Rukia said trying to cover her thoughts.

"How did you know!? My leg hurts more than my arm!" Orihime exclaimed.

"Really!?" Ichigo's concern flared anew. "Maybe it's paralyzed or something!? You should go to doctor!"

"Huh? Um…"

"Why are you blushing?" Idiot.

Orihime decided to flee the situation, with the excuse of missing her shows. Ichigo offered to walk her home, but she declined in her fluster. Ichigo didn't push it.

"She so exhausting sometimes." Diana complained. "Anyhow I've got places to be myself. Chao.~" She left Ichigo and Rukia to their own devices and headed towards Urahara's with a question to ask.

 **-6-**

"Am I supposed to feel the emotions from reiatsu?" She asked Urahara bluntly when she found him.

"My, my, I'm surprised you could feel them so soon." Diana gave him an unimpressed stare. Of course, he knew.

"Does this have to with me being a hyper-sensitive soul or whatever?" She remembered him saying something to that nature.

"Most souls would only feel emotions or the associated memories if they were particularly powerful or if there was direct contact and perceptive enough, but if someone hyper-sensitive, as you called it, they would see emotions through reiatsu alone."

"Is there anything else I need to know? Like if strong is liable to crush me." It would be nice to be warned.

"Now that I think about it, yes!~ If you become strong enough to fight hollows there is a chance you might get drunk off your own reiatsu if it rises abruptly, a sensitive soul never gets used to it. The response could be as minor as a caffeine high, or major as a type of berserker-mode, like Ururu-chan."

"Ururu's a sensitive soul?" She had to ask.

"Yes, but she represses her ability feel anything beyond normal reiatsu sensing."

"I suppose that's none of my business. How's the my kido gun coming along?"

Urahara was happy to explain the details, and Diana was happy to listen and complain that she couldn't use kido.

 **-6-**

By the time they were done, it was dark out and Diana had to walk home in the dark. A short while into her walk she felt Ichigo fighting Acidwire. She dismissed it knowing it would turn out alright.

Then she heard the howl.

* * *

I know I promised powers, but the cliffhanger was too damn tempting.

Next time: Powers and Kon


	7. Choose to Change

Sorry, this took so long. The prize for Nature's Monthly Lottery for Women was mood swings this time and they made it hard for me to write.

 **Disclaimer:** It's really for the best that I don't own Bleach.

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Choose to Change**

The hollow swatted her across the street, a moment after she heard it's howl, not even giving her enough time to react. She landed on her face, skin peeled off her cheek as she skid across the sidewalk. It was a miracle her neck didn't break on impact.

She scrambled to her feet and turned to get a good look at her attacker. It looked like a gorilla with disproportionately large arms. It struck again but this time she was able to dodge it, albeit clumsily. She couldn't fight it on her own.

Ichigo was still fighting Acidwire and wouldn't be able to get to it in time, provided Rukia noticed her denreishinki going off in the fighting. She didn't know whether or not Uryu would come and take care of it in his stead. So, the only real option was to lure it back to Urahara's place.

Except this hollow jumped in front of her every time she started to run. For a thing with such stubby legs it could sure move.

 _If I could just fight back._ She thought as she dodged yet another punch. _It's like it's toying with me!_

She could make ears bleed with how much she wanted the hollow to feel the pain of its own punch. Use her opponent's strength against it, just like her Judo teacher and pseudo mother, taught her. _Lucia._

Power rushed through her like fire in blood, the pendant around her neck glowed, she could barely feel her stinging cheek or her various bruises anymore and she stopped dodging. She didn't need to. She smiled.

The hollow slammed its huge fist against an invisible wall that shimmered on impact before becoming invisible again. A loud cracking sound was heard as the hollow cried in pain and dropped its arm to hang limply, bones within broken.

Diana couldn't help but laugh when the hollow struck again with its other arm. She had to step to the side as it fell forward unable to support its front.

"You are one dumb hollow." She laughed as she felt Jinta and Tessei moving toward her, a little late but whatever. "I'd call you monkey-brain but that would be an insult to monkeys, and I like monkeys!"

The hollow tried to get back up, but Diana got on its back and started jumping up and down, laughing like a child, "It's like a trampoline!"

Her feet shimmered and the hollow slammed back to the ground like it was repeated hit by cannonballs everytime she came down. It continued like this for the minute it took for Jinta and Tessei arrived.

"Goodie! The cavalry has arrived!" She grinned at them as she jumped off. The hollow gave a pained howl. "You're still alive? I thought I had broken your back by now…" she trailed off as her power drained out of her, leaving her ten times more exhausted than when she practiced with the spirit orb.

She could barely hear Jinta finishing off the hollow as her vision faded to black.

 **-7-**

She woke up in Urahara's shop, sore all over and a bandage covered the scrape on her cheek. She was laying on a futon in one of the back rooms that Urahara kept empty for 'guests' like herself.

She was a bit startled when the door opened just enough to let her see it was Ururu looking in on her. Ururu seemed to have caught Diana staring at her, and shut the door quickly. That girl was always so shy.

A minute later Urahara came in bringing tea setting her cup down in front of the futon as she sat up. She wasn't a huge fan of tea, but it would be rude not to drink it.

She took a sip and asked, "So, how long was I out?"

"A few hours, I didn't expect you getting any powers of your own." He said tipping his hat.

"That makes two of us!" She laughed. "Although, I think I'll still be needing that reiatsu gun; my powers don't seem to include anything for a direct attack, unfortunately."

"Are you so sure?"

"Positive, but I'll be sure to demonstrate them for you when I'm no longer sore as hell." She chuckled lightly, "Besides, I'd like to train with someone who knows what they're doing and can help me understand my powers."

"You don't plan on training with Kurosaki-san?"

"Right now, Ichigo isn't all that driven to become stronger, and if what happened to me when I activated my powers happens every time, then I'm just going to wind up beating him to a pulp, which won't help either of us." She explained.

"Tessei mentioned you got a little fight happy."

"I felt like I turned into Deadpool, doing whatever amused me at the time." She paused. "That should probably be disconcerting, but I'm finding that I don't give enough of a damn."

He merely tip his hat to that, "On another topic, I informed your father that you were staying for the night. He was here to check up on you and deliver your school supplies and uniform not to long ago."

"He's no helicopter parent, but he's still there when I really need him." She replied in good humor. "What did you tell him, anyway?"

"Just that Tessei found you fighting some thugs that gave you a good bruising."

"Half-lies are the best lies then." She sipped more of her tea. "Say, since I going to be staying here until school tomorrow, there is something I wanted to try out ever since you told me about your shinigami merchandise…"

 **-7-**

She put what she hoped was the mod soul into her favorite rabbit plush that she carried around in her school bag. Urahara had asked Ururu to go get it so there was a chance she would make a similar mistake to what she made in cannon. Urahara was a bit curious about her little 'experiment', so he stayed to watch.

Lo and behold, the stuffed rabbit came to life saying with a solute, "Greetings! I am… a stuffed animal. 'Early to bed, early to rise.' That's my motto!"

"What do you know? It worked." "I want to keep him." They said at the same time.

"My, my, Fletcher-chan, must you ask for everything that tickles your interest?" Urahara complained lightly.

"But Urahara-san! When I was little, I always wanted little Max to come to life!" She whined back at him with a pout.

"I am glad I made your childhood wish come true." The artificial soul chirped.

"I'd prefer him to be more sarcastic and blood-thirsty, but okay."

"That's an odd choice of personality."

"I was a 4-year old girl that was presented with a stuffed rabbit with a demon's grin and responded with glee, and currently finds having to fight monsters that want to eat my soul interesting and fun. What were you expecting?"

"Something crazier?"

"That makes more sense."

A door opening surprised them. At some point in the conversation Urahara had left the room without either one of them noticing, they did notice his return however.

"Don't mind me.~ I just went to check on something.~" Urahara chirped with his fan in front of his face.

"So, can I keep him, or what?" Diana said cheerily.

Urahara sighed, "Yes, you can keep him, just so long as nobody sees him and you do not, under any circumstances, put him in a human body."

"Why's that? Isn't that what gikongan are supposed to be used?" I didn't make much sense unless it was Kon, the mod soul. She grabbed the animated stuffed animal when he started to slink away.

"Yes, yes, but that isn't a gikongan. It's a kaizo konpaku, an experiment designed to help shinigami with their work, but was banned and almost all of them were destroyed."

Diana gave him a curious look, "Then why do have one in the shop? Surly, you knew what it was?" This was something she wanted to know.

"Future reference?" Urahara shrugged. That earned him a blank look. Sometimes he was just so flaky.

Diana turned back to the mod soul that in another world would be named Kon. "You need a name, so I'll just call you by the name I call this stuffed animal, Max!"

"I don't want to be named after a stuffed animal!"

"Would you prefer Kon?"

"NO! That's dumb!"

* * *

Next chapter: Training, Guns, and Hell.


End file.
